Where to?
The phrasing felt a bit ambiguous when pondered. Qi Fan let the words roll over the tip of his teeth; what came to mind, however, was a creamy Chardonnay wine.
Sheng Zhiyu’s scent.
“…Qi Fan?” Chen Yiwan’s voice drifted softly in front of him.
Qi Fan snapped back to reality, raised his gaze slightly, and spoke in a gentle tone: “Go to sleep if you’re tired. I’ve put you through enough tonight.”
The clearly softened tone was intended for the person on the other end of the phone. Chen Yiwan wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t distinguish that.
Yet, he still uncontrollably fell into this incidental tenderness.
After Chen Yiwan turned to leave, the phone call also reached its end.
Gu Wangzhou’s tone was now more relaxed than before, tinged with a bit of leisure: “For that little canary you’re keeping? You certainly seem eager to get home.”
Qi Fan remained expressionless: “Let’s leave it at that, then.”
The original host was a scumbag without many taboos, so naturally, he didn’t care about what should or shouldn’t be said.
But Qi Fan didn’t like discussing such matters.
After the call hung up, the System’s somewhat heavy voice came through:
[Is the Male Lead testing you? Did he notice you causing trouble for Sheng Zhiyu under the table?]
Speaking of this, the System finally realized how different Qi Fan was this time compared to the past.
Overlapping scenarios had happened before, but let alone causing trouble, Qi Fan usually didn’t even know what the other person’s mission was.
…Was it because of his arch-rival?
Qi Fan didn’t respond, so the System could only whisper a reminder: [You should be careful. Gu Wangzhou is a psychopath.]
[Good insult.]
[…I’m not insulting him; he’s a real psycho. The kind who goes crazy and plays at confinement, or ‘if I can’t have you, we die together.’]
Qi Fan raised his eyelids slightly.
[Oh?]
The System paused for a moment, sounding mysterious: [I heard this mission was shelved in the White Moonlight Group for a long time. It was held back until Sheng Zhiyu was free to take it.]
Qi Fan frowned imperceptibly.
[Doesn’t the White Moonlight Group always boast about their high overall performance levels? Do they have to rely on their ace again?]
System: [He’s the only one in the Bureau with an S+ contract. These dark, obsessive Male Lead scenarios were meant for him to handle.]
The so-called “contracts” were deals made with the Quick Transmigration Bureau. After working at the Bureau and accumulating enough performance points, one could fulfill a wish based on the contract.
Wishes were based on the original self and could layer on appearance, career, time and space… correspondingly, the greedier the wish, the higher the difficulty specified in the contract. S+ was the highest difficulty.
After all, ambition must be fed with crises.
Qi Fan gave a casual response. Just as the System thought the topic had ended, he heard him ask: [Does Sheng Zhiyu usually deal with people of this type?]
[Probably. I don’t know the specific arrangements of the White Moonlight Group.]
Qi Fan looked out the window again. The moonlight had faded, and his deep pupils no longer reflected any other light.
…Because of a sufficiently greedy wish, he signed a contract others didn’t dare to sign and interacted with targets others avoided?
________________________________________
The night Gu Wangzhou sent Sheng Zhiyu back to the Sheng residence, Sheng Zhiyu’s fever hit 38.2°C. After being tended to by the family doctor, he fell into a deep sleep.
When he woke up, it was broad daylight.
As soon as Sheng Zhiyu opened his eyes, he heard Lin Weiyu say affectionately: [Is the Sleeping Princess awake?]
[If you stayed asleep for seven more seconds, you would have hit a full twenty-three hours. Surprised?]
Once he realized the time, Sheng Zhiyu quickly threw back the covers and jumped out of bed.
After routinely muting the System, he unbuttoned his pajamas in front of the bathroom mirror. Most of the marks on his collarbone had faded, with only a few faint traces remaining.
His back wasn’t as quick to heal; several marks still lingered on his shoulder blades and waist.
Buttoning his pajamas, Sheng Zhiyu stretched his waist and legs. After confirming the soreness had mostly subsided, he unmuted the System.
Seeing him pull up the plot, Lin Weiyu said with relief: [Seeing the King of Involution resurrected, my heart can finally rest in peace.]
[Rest in pieces. I’ll burn some incense for you once I finish this scenario.]
[……]
[Strictly speaking, I’ve already died once. Can I just have the cash equivalent?]
Sheng Zhiyu sneered and had the System display the plot.
—After that day’s “Welcome Feast,” the Substitute (Shou) realized he was merely a lowly stand-in and quietly moved out of the Male Lead’s residence.
He had intended to sever all ties, but little did he know that as soon as he returned to his old home, he would receive an invitation.
The Sheng family was holding a grand banquet to introduce their returned eldest son to their social circle. To avoid gossip, they also took him. The illegitimate son living outside, Sheng Zhiyu’s younger half-brother back into the household with feigned generosity.
This act seemed magnanimous, but in reality, it made his illegitimate status public, cutting off any possibility of him associating with prestigious families.
Just as Sheng Zhiyu finished browsing, there was a knock on the door.
It was the Sheng family butler, asking softly and respectfully: “Young Master, your guests have arrived. Madam asks how you are feeling and if you are able to come downstairs.”
[The people who came are Gu Wangzhou and Qi Fan?]
After Lin Weiyu spoke, he quickly scanned Sheng Zhiyu, only to see him expressionlessly take a dark red shirt from the closet.
Below the balcony of Sheng Zhiyu’s room was the garden. Just as he finished changing, he saw Qi Fan downstairs through the floor-to-ceiling window.
He must have accompanied Gu Wangzhou. At the moment, he was standing lazily by a bed of tulips, seemingly talking to someone, his gaze lowered.
Sheng Zhiyu was about to turn away when he saw another figure walk out from indoors and lean close to Qi Fan.
Looking down from a distance, he couldn’t see the face clearly, but he saw the person raise a hand to feed Qi Fan a spoonful of pastry.
[That must be Qi Fan and his mission target, right? The cynical young master and his canary.]
[Are a scumbag’s hands just for decoration? He even needs someone to feed him.]
Lin Weiyu was proven wrong as soon as he spoke. Qi Fan smilingly declined the pastry and whispered something, and the little canary left.
Some scumbags don’t just have hands for decoration; their mouths are too.
Sheng Zhiyu was about to reply when the person downstairs suddenly looked up toward his direction.
The midday sun was intense, scattering fragments of gold across Qi Fan’s face. He squinted, making the red scar under his eye stand out vividly.
Sheng Zhiyu’s fever-stalled brain finally began to function properly. That scar was made by a vase fragment. Doesn’t that mean Qi Fan is also in his own body?
Thinking of this, his hand hanging by his side suddenly clenched into a fist.
With the buffer of the past two days, he had remembered most of the memories from that night at the hotel.
…The first time was awkward; pain was inevitable.
But Sheng Zhiyu was semi-conscious and didn’t know how to find relief, so he was as violent as could be.
For every tooth mark Qi Fan left on him, he had returned it with a scratch.
Thinking of this, Sheng Zhiyu yanked the curtains shut.
After a moment of hesitation, he asked Lin Weiyu: [Qi Fan’s mission… can you find it?]
[? You’re planning to retaliate for the ‘under the table’ grudge? Let me check.]
A moment later, Lin Weiyu said in surprise: [I can’t find it. The terminal says I don’t have sufficient authorization.]
Insufficient authorization?
In terms of performance, Qi Fan was his equal, so their levels should be similar.
How could he not find Qi Fan’s mission progress?
Lin Weiyu tried several more times, but the result remained a blank.
[Forget it.]
Sheng Zhiyu pushed open the door.
He would play it by ear.
The living room was lively. Madam Sheng was personally brewing tea for the guests, chatting with Gu Wangzhou with a face full of smiles.
Although the Sheng family had been kind enough to adopt the Male Lead in his early years, that was a thing of the past. Gu Wangzhou was now a rising star in the business world. The current Gu family in his hands was far more than just a prestigious clan; no one dared to slight him.
“Xiao Yu has had a weak constitution since he was a child, always prone to colds and fevers…” Madam Sheng said as she spotted Sheng Zhiyu and quickly stood up. “Xiao Yu is down. Come here quickly; Wangzhou has been waiting for you for a long time.”
Sheng Zhiyu stepped lightly toward the table, his gaze lowered.
There was a faint coldness gathered between Gu Wangzhou’s brows, and his deep features suddenly projected a sense of pressure.
The Male Lead was in a bad mood; Sheng Zhiyu guessed it was because of a fight with the Substitute.
“You’re awake.” Gu Wangzhou raised his eyelids, and the darkness in his gaze faded considerably when he looked at him. “How is your body?”
“Fine, the fever is gone.”
Gu Wangzhou stood up and reached out toward his forehead. Sensing Sheng Zhiyu nervously clenching the blanket, he switched to a light touch on his cheek, his gaze softening: “It really isn’t hot anymore.”
Sheng Zhiyu leaned lightly against the back of his hand and asked softly, “Why are you here?”
“I was a bit worried about you,” Gu Wangzhou said in a tender tone, with a hint of coaxing meant for a patient.
After speaking, his gaze fell on Sheng Zhiyu’s collar, lingering for a moment on the dark red fabric before looking away.
The plot progression and favorability collection were going smoothly so far. Sheng Zhiyu was planning his next steps when his peripheral vision caught Gu Wangzhou’s fleeting glance.
…Whether intentional or not, he glanced toward the balcony.
Sheng Zhiyu calmly lowered his eyes and took the initiative as a host: “The wind is cold outside. Why hasn’t Mr. Qi come inside to sit?”
Qi Fan, who had been lazily soaking up the sun on the balcony, returned the greeting with a smile and then gestured toward Chen Yiwan beside him with his eyes.
Chen Yiwan walked obediently into the main hall: “Good afternoon, Mr. Sheng. I heard you were ill. Are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine.” Sheng Zhiyu nodded slightly.
The conversation at the table was casual, mostly driven by the canary. Sheng Zhiyu occasionally answered questions related to the banquet.
“Xiao Yu,” Gu Wangzhou suddenly called his name, “I saw you looked good in royal blue that day, so I ordered a garment for you.”
Chen Yiwan held his teacup, but his peripheral vision noticed that Qi Fan, who had been drifting outside the conversation, seemed to snap back to attention.
Gu Wangzhou handed over a box. Sheng Zhiyu was somewhat surprised when he heard Gu Wangzhou say, “Try it on to see if it fits?”
Sheng Zhiyu agreed, and Gu Wangzhou accompanied him to the second floor.
Only two people remained in the living room. Chen Yiwan followed them with his gaze and said softly, “Mr. Gu really spoils Mr. Sheng.”
Visiting personally when he’s sick and bringing a gift.
Chen Yiwan couldn’t help but peek at Qi Fan, only to unexpectedly meet his smiling gaze.
Clearly, it was a smile, yet Chen Yiwan felt a shiver in his heart.
“How should I interpret that?” Qi Fan leaned his chin on his hand and smiled casually. “Are you simply envious… or taking the opportunity to complain about me?”
…Chen Yiwan had known for a long time that Qi Fan’s temper was hard to predict, but he had never felt him so mercurial as at this moment.
He lowered his eyes nervously and shook his head: “No…”
Qi Fan raised an eyebrow: “If I’m not good to you, shouldn’t you be getting angry at me? Why do you look so scared?”
Chen Yiwan didn’t dare speak further.
Qi Fan watched for a moment, as if having admired the reaction enough, before whispering: “That may not necessarily be ‘spoiling’; it could also be a test.”
Upstairs.
Sheng Zhiyu opened the box in the bedroom, only to find a dark navy-blue coat inside.
[…Is the Male Lead colorblind?]
Can’t tell royal blue from navy blue?
Sheng Zhiyu looked at it for a moment, changed out of his casual coat, and after tidying himself, opened the door.
Gu Wangzhou was standing in front of the door, his tall figure blocking the light. His eyes showed a hint of gloom the moment he looked up.
Sheng Zhiyu gracefully lifted a sleeve: “This doesn’t seem to be royal blue?”
Gu Wangzhou looked at his expression as if scrutinizing him, his gaze unreadable.
Seeing the doubt on Sheng Zhiyu’s face, he finally let out a light laugh.
“I originally wanted to choose royal blue.” He stepped forward and took Sheng Zhiyu’s sleeve, his thumb gently rubbing it. “But when I saw this one, I suddenly felt that the other color didn’t suit you.”
Sheng Zhiyu looked at his movements and smiled: “So, you lied to me?”
“It wasn’t a lie.”
Gu Wangzhou looked into his eyes and chose a word, “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
…Saying “surprise” with such a cold, calculating face?
His logic was truly unusual.
Sheng Zhiyu didn’t speak. Gu Wangzhou’s fingertips slid along the sleeve, all the way up to his collar.
He didn’t touch him, but the coldness from his fingertips seeped through… an uncomfortable chill.
Like a cold-blooded viper coiling upward.
The corners of Gu Wangzhou’s lips curled slightly as if he were smiling, yet there was no warmth.
Sheng Zhiyu’s eyelashes remained lowered. He had observed himself when he got up this morning; the marks below his collar had mostly dissipated, but a faint red one remained below his collarbone.
If Gu Wangzhou pressed down his collar, he would be able to see it.
—What was he testing?
Gu Wangzhou’s fingertips pinched the dark red undershirt Sheng Zhiyu was wearing, as if feeling the temperature of the fabric. After a long while, he slowly let go.
“Your collar is folded back,” he said with a smile.
Sheng Zhiyu looked at his face shrouded in shadow: “I was too happy for a moment and didn’t notice.”
“Is that so?” Gu Wangzhou released the collar and touched his cheek with his fingertips. “Then can I take that to mean you like it very much?”
“Of course, I like it.” Sheng Zhiyu said. “I like everything you give me.”
“That’s good,” Gu Wangzhou withdrew his hand into his pocket. “There’s another reason why I think this color is more suitable.”
“When I sent you back that day, something was left in my car.”
Looking at that pearl cufflink, Sheng Zhiyu’s lowered gaze turned freezing cold.
No wonder Gu Wangzhou had an underlying sense of an approaching storm.
…So, he had noticed.
“You weren’t feeling well yesterday, so I kept it for a while. I didn’t expect to have a dream after going back, and I happened to dream of you wearing this cufflink.”
In the dream, there were actually even more unusual scenes such as Qi Fan also wearing this cufflink.
But Gu Wangzhou didn’t say that.
His dark eyes were calm and deep: “I remember you never liked these gaudy things. Have your tastes changed?”
Gu Wangzhou had grown up amidst intrigue and deception; he had a reflex-like sensitivity to “abnormalities.”
The White Moonlight was an extremely minimalist and elegant person. Not only did he only wear plain colors, but his small accessories were even more simplified.
Lin Weiyu watched his fluctuating emotional value and rubbed his arms.
[As expected of a 3A difficulty mission target. His heart must be made of lotus root, full of so many holes (schemes).]
Gu Wangzhou’s fingertips returned to the edge of the sleeve. Sheng Zhiyu wasn’t wearing a dress shirt underneath, so he couldn’t wear the cufflink.
He seemed to feel it was a pity, so he could only place the cufflink on Sheng Zhiyu’s fair wrist: “As expected, this color complements it better.”
The cufflink was a bit cold, and it didn’t feel good against his skin.
Gu Wangzhou seemed completely oblivious: “Xiao Yu, what do you think?”
Sheng Zhiyu raised his gaze and looked into those net-like eyes.
After a second of silence, he smiled gently. Just as he was about to speak, another set of footsteps entered.
Gu Wangzhou turned his head and saw the person standing at the top of the stairs.
Qi Fan had a casual smile on his lips, looking surprised to be interrupting, but he quickly adjusted.
“I have something to do and need to leave first. Just wanted to let you know,” he said calmly as he walked toward Gu Wangzhou. “And to give you something.”
He held an exquisitely packaged gift box.
“This is something Xiao Yu asked me to commission from a jeweler before he returned to the country.” Qi Fan presented it before the two of them. “However, I was careless that day and missed one.”
Lying in the center of the gold-threaded gift box was a white pearl cufflink.
It was the same style as the one in Gu Wangzhou’s palm, but the color was starkly different.
Sheng Zhiyu fixed his gaze on it, then slowly looked up.
Qi Fan looked at him with a lazy smile: “Since they are ‘Lovers’ Buttons,’ of course they only work as a pair.”